Pro athletes: All those dollars, where's the sense?

Dec. 17, 2011

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Lakers forward Matt Barnes, left, complained when the team traded away Lamar Odom, right. 'It's a shame that they ask us to play with our hearts, but then when it comes to being traded, cut or moved, it's a business," Barnes said. GUS RUELAS, AP

Lakers forward Matt Barnes, left, complained when the team traded away Lamar Odom, right. 'It's a shame that they ask us to play with our hearts, but then when it comes to being traded, cut or moved, it's a business," Barnes said. GUS RUELAS, AP

Only in sports ...

Only in sports can a player be presented with a contract worth $26 million a year and refer to that offer as being an "insult."

Only in sports can a player be broken so completely by the prospect of being traded that the only response he can muster is a demand to be traded.

Only in sports can a player lament the actions of his employer by muttering this phrase meant to belittle those actions and that employer: "It's all about what's best for the team."

Matt Barnes, you're right. Whatever happened to the good old days, back when franchises were concerned about one individual's feelings, about making sure a single player — in this case, a substitute — was happy more so than about winning?

Of all the powerful things our games can do, there are still few that can match the ability to pummel perspective. It probably has been this way only since the birth of time — or free agency — when someone decided athletic ability was worthy of compensation.

The moment dollars arrived, sense departed.

Technically, it was Albert Pujols' wife who labeled the St. Louis Cardinals' offer of $26 million annually for five years an "insult." Deidre Pujols detailed all the sorrow brought upon her husband during an interview on a radio station ironically called "Joy FM."

Now, we're not going suggest this was a sign of who runs things in the Pujols household. But, seeing how Albert just signed with the Angels for $254 million, you would think he could afford a bigger pair of pants.

Even before his wife spoke publicly, it had been reported that Pujols felt slighted by the Cardinals. The team eventually doubled the length of its contract offer, but, according to Mrs. Pujols, there simply had been too much mistreatment by that point to be undone.

So now, we all know how little value there is in $210 million — the Cardinals' final offer. Of course, $30 million of that reportedly was deferred. Jeez, why didn't they just ask Pujols to play for nothing?

His wife continued the interview by saying she "was mad at God." We'd offer our snide commentary on that remark, too, but it's way too close to Christmas to get on His bad side.

Frankly, we also don't want to cross Mrs. Pujols, who, based on her latter comment, apparently also has the upper hand in that relationship. And here everyone thinks Albert is the power hitter in the family. Hey, we know when it's time to shut up.

The same can't be said of Barnes, who, while trying to support Lamar Odom, undercut himself and his team.

After the Lakers traded Odom to Dallas — satisfying Odom's request, mind you — Barnes told ESPN that the move was just another example of the decay of American business.

"It's sad to say, it's hard, but there's not really too much loyalty these days," he said. "It's all about what's best for the team, and what's best for business."

Best for the team? Best for business? Silly Lakers. Silly Buss family.

Interesting that Barnes would mention loyalty or even understand the concept. Though it hasn't always been his decision, he has been with eight NBA teams, one for each season he has spent in the league.

"It's a shame that they ask us to play with our hearts," Barnes went on, searching for sympathy from a fan base the NBA just spent months jilting, "but then when it comes to being traded, cut or moved, it's a business."

Remarkable, how our professional athletes, even as they play for millions year in and year out, under signed contract, on TV thanks to another binding agreement, and, in this example, in the aftermath of a protracted negotiation that featured piles of affidavits, mountains of meetings and more suits than Men's Warehouse, continue to struggle grasping the idea that this is a business.

Hey, Matt, ask Derek Fisher about the NBA being a business.

Odom, who's as sensitive as a toothache, claimed he was "a little disrespected" by the Lakers. He explained he should have been informed that he was on the verge of being traded.

Given the way he reacted, though, who can blame the Lakers for not telling him? It would have been easier disclosing to a group of kindergartners the truth about Santa Claus.

In explaining his situation, Odom also said he didn't want to play for New Orleans because he believes the Hornets stink. So, at least, we know the guy understands disrespect from both angles.

Of course, we already realized Odom had that in him. Recall that in his final game as a Laker, he unnecessarily and childishly lowered his shoulder into Dirk Nowitzki, disrespecting his opponent, his team and his sport, all while being ejected.

But maybe we're being too hard on everyone here, expecting a little too much. Perspective is a pretty deep notion.

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